This hearty Spiced-Pear Baked French Toast is filled with the warm, comforting flavors of pear and cinnamon - it’s perfect to make the night before a holiday and serve for breakfast the next morning!
AuthorEmily Weeks, RDN, LD
Ingredients
For the spiced pears:
2Tbspunsalted butter
3Bartlett or Anjou pearsdiced into 1’’ pieces (about 3 cups)
½tspground cinnamon
For the crumb topping:
½cupof flourall purpose, white whole wheat, or oat flour will work
½cupof brown sugar
½tspground cinnamon
¼tspsalt
½stick4 ounces unsalted butter, cut into cubes
For the French toast:
12 pound boule of day-old whole grain fruit and nut bread, cut into 1’’ cubes (about 7 cups)
2cupsof 1% milk
½cupof half and half
6large eggs
1tspvanilla extract
1tspground cinnamon
¼tspground nutmeg
Instructions
For the spiced pears:
Place a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Melt the butter in the warm skillet. Add the pears and saute until just tender and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the cinnamon and stir to combine. Set aside to cool completely or chill until ready to assemble the French toast.
For the crumb topping:
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter cubes and cut into the flour mixture with your fingers, a fork, or a pastry blender. Cover and chill until ready to use, up to 2 days.
For the French toast:
Grease an 8x10’’ or 9x13’’ casserole pan with cooking spray. Add the bread cubes to the pan. Spoon the spiced pear mixture over the bread cubes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, half and half, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour this mixture over the bread cubes and pears.
Cover and refrigerate overnight or for a minimum of 8 hours.
Baking and assembly:
Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Remove the French toast pan from the refrigerator, along with the crumb topping. Evenly distribute the crumb topping over the top of the dish.
Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown. It should resemble the texture of bread pudding.
Remove from oven and serve hot with maple syrup. Enjoy!